Devestating Consequences
by solo23
Summary: PostLOTR. The Fellowship is reuniting in Mirkwood about a year after the fall of Mordor. Saruman has finally recovered his strength and wants revenge for his fall. Will the strength of the Fellowship be enough to save Middle Earth? NOT SLASH!please r&r!
1. Orcs

**Title:** Devestating Consequences

**Author:** solo23

**Summary: **A year after the destruction of the ring, all is not well in Mirkwood. Orcs are just the least of their worries when Legolas hosts a reunion for the Fellowship...please read and review

**Disclaimer:** All of the characters and settings in this story belong to J.R.R. Tolkein. I recieve no profit for my stories, they're just for fun

* * *

A gentle breeze blew a strand of golden hair into Legolas's eyes. Brushing it aside, the young elf's eyes gleamed with hapiness. He was sitting in a tree, awaiting the arrival of his former companions, whom he had not seen for nearly a year. Legolas could hardly believe that it had already been a year since he had joined the Fellowship and Mordor had fell. Slowly, his thoughts drifted into old memories, and his attention slipped.

"Legolas," a voice called from a nearby tree. The prince's head shot up, and his gaze pierced the speaker. He rose slowly from his crouched position in a tree, and nimbly scurried to the ground.

As he approached the the warrior who had called for him, Legolas heard the hiss of an arrow shooting by his head. His bow was in his hand instantly, and he notched an arrow as he turned. It was immediately apparent that a fight would be in vain, for he and his companion faced an entire army of orcs. There was a soft thud as the other elf dropped to Legolas's side, bow raised as well.

"Retreat," Legolas ordered," We're outnumbered, it's pointless to try to fight them."

Raenin nodded his compliance, then swiftly climbed back into the tree. Legolas followed, and they traveled through the trees toward the safety of their home. Legolas felt a bit uneasy with his decision to retreat. Something was telling him that perhaps he should have fought, or they should have at least hid and gathered information.

While Legolas was caught up in his thoughts, he failed to noticed that Raenin had stopped. After a few moments, he turned to the older elf and asked," Why have you stopped?"

"Can you not hear them?" Raenin asked in a whisper. Then, Legolas did hear. He heard the sound of orcs coming from all directions.

Legolas turned toward Mirkwood's elven city, his heart sinking. As the pounding footsteps of orcs drew closer, he realized that they would not be able to escape. It was likely that the orcs had seen them before their retreat, and would be looking for them. He turned to Raenin and commanded," Go to my father. Tell him that the orcs have entered Mirkwood."

Raenin rose an eyebrow and asked softly," What are you going to do, _mellon nin_? Why are you not going to come with me?"

A determinded look came over Legolas's eyes as he replied," I'm going to distract them. The survival of Mirkwood is in your hands, Raniean. I wish you luck."

Before Raenin could stop him, Legolas lept to the ground, yelling,"_Linne_, _mellon nin!_"

* * *

Legolas was a blur as he shot arrow after arrow at the onslaught of orcs. All too soon he ran out of arrows and was forced to engage in battle using only his elven blades. He knew Raniean had left long ago, although he had left reluctantly. The young elf knew that he could not hold out much longer. He stifled a cry of pain as an orc's blade bit into his back. As he stumbled forward, a second blade pierced his side, elicting a pain filled cry from the elf. The blade cut deeply into his side, and dropped Legolas to the ground as it was pulled back.

Curled on the ground in pain, Legolas could barely hold on to consciousness. He closed his eyes as the tip of the enemy's sword touched the base of his throat. However, the blade never went through. An urk's voice could be heard over the noise of the bickering army," He is one of those who destroyed Mordor. Saruman will want him alive."

Legolas was pulled up roughly by his arms, which were then painfully pinned behind his back. He struggled against their grasp as they bound his wrists, knowing that it would not help him. A cold fear entered his heart, as he knew that whatever they planned to do to him would not be at all pleasant. An orc's fist came down on his temple, and Legolas could feel himself sinking into unconsciousness.

An orc kicked the elf, making sure that he was not awake. He flung the elf over his shoulder and set off to Saruman's lair.

* * *

Raenin brushed aside vines and branches as he darted through the forest. He soon found himself approaching the palace gates. From above, he heard one of the guards call," Raenin? Is that you?"

The elf nodded, and the guard called again," Where is Prince Legolas and his friends?"

Raenin merely shook his head and continued running. The king looked up in shock as the doors to his chambers were flung open, revealing the disheveled warrior. Before King Thranduil could utter a word, Raenin burst out," Orcs have invaded Mirkwood! Legolas...Legolas was taken by orcs."

Thranduil was speechless. For a few moments, all he could do was gape at the warrior before him. When he finally found his voice, he asked," Why have you returned and Legolas has not?"

"He lept from his hiding place to hold back the orcs before I could stop him," Raenin admitted sadly," he ordered me to go deliver the news. Without his actions, it is unlikely either of us would have made it back. I'm sorry."

The older elf nodded numbly, and requested that Raenin leave. Once he had his thoughts together, he formed a large escort to find the guests that should have been arriving soon.

* * *

"Orcs," Aragorn announced stiffly as he observed the trail that had been formed only a few hours before. His companions sighed, wishing that when the ring had been destroyed, all of the orcs would have died as well.

Gimli looked up at the man and asked," Orcs? This close to Mirkwood? How would that elf let this happen?"

Aragorn felt a chill go down his spine as he realized the possibility that his friend was in grave danger. He muttered softly," He wouldn't..."

The man observed the scene, looking for any hints that Legolas may have been there. It was clear that there was a battle, one in which the elves had been vastly outnumbered. There were no bodies left behind, although Aragorn didn't consider this a particularly good thing. To his left, a hobbit's voice called," Strider, doesn't this belong to Legolas?"

Aragorn turned to look at Pippin, who was holding a disturbingly familiar bow. As he approached the scene, he was filled with despair. Not far away was Legolas's quiver, and his arrows were scattered about. He could see the light imprints of elven shoes where one elf had landed, presumably after jumping out of a tree. There were tracks indicating a struggle, and the blood of an elf was pooled on the ground.

"It appears that only one elf was here," Aragorn stated, clearly puzzled. He continued with sorrow," Legolas was that one elf. Judging by the blood left on the ground, it seems unlikely that he made it away alive."

The hobbits stared at each other, hardly able to grasp what Aragorn was saying. Gimli sank slowly to the ground, his eyes wide with shock. He muttered to himself," I always knew that the elf would get himself killed..."

"He is not dead," Aragorn declared with determination. In the distance, they heard an elf scream in pain.

"Indeed it seems he is not," Gandalf stated as he approached the group," although it seems he could use a bit of help."

* * *

Legolas's head swam. He could barely register anything that was happening. All he knew was that it hurt, and the pain kept growing. Soon, he could no longer hold back his scream of anguish. Through blurred eyes he could vaguely make out the orcs around him. He could feel his wrists rubbed raw by ropes that tied them behind his back. There were too many sources of pain for the elf to register it all.

"Stop!" the urk's voice echoed across the camp," Saruman wants him alive, and in one piece. Leave him alone."

Several orcs growled mutinously, but in the end decided against attacking their leader. Legolas moaned softly. Gently, he attempted to sit up. His attempt was greeted by immediate nausea and severly increased pain. One of the orcs noted his movement, and delivered a swift kick to his chest. A hiss escaped Legolas as his eyes glazed over from the pain. Far beyond the orcs' range of hearing, the elf heard the voices he had been waiting for months to hear.

An unusual determination filled the young elf's heart. With that determination came his final reserves of strength, and Legolas lept to his feet. He bolted toward the voices, somehow avoiding a dozen orcs who stood in his way. Legolas soon found himself within a visible distance of his friends. As loud as he could, Legolas shouted," My friends, help me! Please!"

As the words left his mouth, no less than five orcs tackled him, forcing him to the ground. He screamed in agony as his wounds were reopened, and new ones were added. The pain quickly became unbearable, and the prince never saw his friends' heads shoot up, or the sight of them charging toward him with a troop of Mirkwood's elven warriors.

* * *

The escort of Mirkwood elves had just arrived. They had begun to explain the fate that had befallen Legolas, and how he came to be in the situation, when the prince's plea for help echoed through the valley. Aragorn's head shot around in time to see a badly beaten elf, arms bound behind his back, running toward them. Drawing his sword, Aragorn lead the charge at the orcs who were gaining on his friend.

Before they could reach the elf, several orcs lept on him. They went down in a jumble, and Aragorn's heart broke as he heard Legolas scream. When the orcs dragged their prisoner up, he was unconscious. Orcs fell swiftly as the elven archers shot at them. Those who were holding Legolas went down, and the elf crumpled to the ground. Merry and Pippin managed to reach him before more orcs noticed. Sam and Frodo were close behind, stabbing any orc who came too close to their friend.

Three elves had fallen in the battle, but the orcs were forced to retreat. Pippin held Legolas's head delicately in his lap. By the time Gimli, Gandalf, and Aragorn made their way over to the elf, his eyes had fluttered open. Legolas bit back a moan of pain as he awakened. The agony caused by his injuries was severe. He jerked away from the hobbit when he found himself surrounded by blurry images, afraid that they were orcs and more pain was about to be inflicted.

The figure above him spoke softly in Elvish," Peace, Legolas. The orcs are gone."

"Aragorn?" Legolas whispered. He still could not see clearly, and the pain was threatening to overwhelm him. A small smile touched his lips as he realized that his friends had saved him. Struggling to sit up, he mumbled," _Hannon le, mellon nin_."

The elves from Mirkwood who formed the escort helped the prince onto a horse. Slowly, they made their way back to Legolas's home. Exhausted from the day's events, Legolas fell asleep quickly, and Aragorn smiled as he joined his friend on the horse, holding him close. Softly, he whispered," I thought I'd lost you."

_Mellon nin_- my friend

_linne-_go

_Hannon le_- thank you


	2. Neralin

Author's Note: I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. I've been a bit busy with school, exams, vacation, unexpected visits from relatives, and my other stories. Plus, I had a bit of a writer's block.

**Kalayna:** Thank you for reviewing! I'm sorry about irregular posting. Yup. I'm gonna write all of my stories completely before I start posting in future stories.

* * *

Warm arms were wrapped around Legolas when he woke up. Beneath him, he could feel the horse moving. A splitting headache made the elf flinch, only to have a comforting voice murmur," It's alright, Legolas. You're safe now."

Legolas tilted his head back and saw Aragorn staring at him. With a slight smile, he muttered," I really don't like orcs."

Following the statement the prince drifted off again, leaving Aragorn rather amused. Gimli appeared at his side with a concerned glance at the limp elf. For once he was riding the horse without anyone else. As Aragorn met the dwarf's gaze, he read the unspoken question, responding lightly," He's going to be fine."

With a hesitant nod Gimli pulled his horse back and rejoined the hobbits. Aragorn smiled slightly as he saw the hobbits lean in and listen to Gimli's report. They had been extremely concerned about Legolas. Merry and Pippin shared a horse, as did Sam and Frodo. When the huddle broke up, the hobbits were visibly relieved, and Pippin went so far as to start singing.

At the sound of the cheerful tune, Legolas lifted his head groggily, searching for the source of merriment. A shadow of a smile appeared as he hummed along. Aragorn stared at the prince with a highly amused expression, but the elf barely seemed to notice. He had closed his eyes and added his own voice to Pippin's. The hobbits looked over at Legolas in surprise when he started singing. Gimli laughed and added his own voice to the pleasant song. Soon, all of the former companions were singing.

As the singing came to an end, Legolas softly spoke," _Hannon le_, my friends."

Soon they reached the gate of Mirkwood's palace, the prince's home. King Thranduil came to greet them personally. With him he brought a healer. As they approached the king, Legolas straightened and masked the pain he was feeling. He dismounted on his own, although it lacked his usual grace. When his feet touched the ground, the young elf's knees nearly buckled, sending him stumbling forward. It was only then that he registered the gash through his thigh. Vaguely, he wondered when he had obtained that wound. Aragorn was at his side instantly, helping Legolas walk over to his father.

"My son, what have you managed to get yourself into this time?" Thranduil questioned sternly. The anger was evident in the king's eyes, and Legolas knew better than to ignore the question.

Smiling guiltily, he admitted," I found some orcs near our borders. Unfortunately, Raenin and I were outnumbered. I knew one of us had to return to inform you of the danger, and I couldn't leave Raenin to the orcs. So I provided the necessary distraction."

"You found it necessary to be captured, tortured, and possibly killed by orcs?" Thranduil demanded with disbelief. Legolas was shocked by his father's words, and found himself without an answer.

Pain and confusion showed clearly through the young prince's eyes as he replied," I'm sorry, ada..."

Much to the surprise of those watching, Thranduil pulled Legolas into a tight hug, whispering," Never scare me like that again, Legolas!"

* * *

An unwelcome pair of eyes were watching the reunion. While the Mirkwood guards were quite skilled at their jobs, the inconspicuous young human had managed to get within viewing distance of the palace. He had climbed through the trees along a well planned route. The path had been decided carefully by Saruman himself. As he had traveled deep into Mirkwood, the brown haired boy remained hidden and far from the guards. It had not been part of the plan to allow Legolas return to his home. There was always, of course, a back-up plan.

Neralin, the spy, silently called a bird to him. The bird was his messenger. The boy attached a small note to the bird's leg, and it set off to deliver the message to Saruman. During his momentary lapse of attention to the world around him, Neralin was spotted. An elven voice cried," Look! There is something in that tree!"

The young spy silently cursed to himself. Quickly, he strung his bow and aimed at the injured prince. As an arrow whizzed past his head, he released the string, sending a projectile straight for Legolas' heart. Suddenly, he felt the cool tip of a dagger resting against the base of his throat. A soft voice whispered," I wouldn't move, if I were you."

His arms were pulled behind him and bound tightly with rope. Neralin couldn't supress a sigh of frustration as the elf who had captured him passed him down to those below. He managed to keep a mask of serenity as he was pushed toward the king, as well as the elf he had just attempted to murder. It was not easy, considering his heart was hammering so hard he felt it would burst out of his chest, and his head was swimming. A cold, tingling sensation occupied the pit of his stomach, a feeling that he recognized as fear. Rarely had Neralin been so afraid. The last time he felt so strongly was when his village had been attacked by orcs when he was barely three years old. He had watched his parents be murdered, and he himself had been taken prisoner.

An involuntary shudder overcame the young man when he thought of the events leading up to his union with Saruman. The years of torture at the hands of the orcs, the mental visions of his parents' murder...all were too much for him to bear. When Saruman had demanded his allegiance, he was already broken. With no more to lose, Neralin had agreed.

Angry shouts brought Neralin back to reality. The dwarf whom Neralin now remembered was known as Gimli, was shouting dwarvish curses. The human, now King of Gondor, was supporting Legolas with the help of King Thranduil. Neralin chuckled to himself as he realized that the King of Gondor and King of Mirkwood were working together to help the Prince of Mirkwood, the only common link between the kings. With a small amount of satisfaction, Neralin saw that his arrow had struck the elf, although not fatally.

Strong hands still gripped Neralin, guiding him toward the king. Much to Neralin's surprise, Legolas sent a sympathetic smile his way. Somehow, Neralin felt as though the prince had glanced into his soul, seeing all that had transpired to lead him to his current predicament. Upon their approach, all fell silent as the beings watched Neralin being lead forward. He shifted uneasily under their stares. Legolas, who was still smiling, asked," Why did you shoot me?"

Neralin fought hard to contain his laughter at the ridiculous question. Keeping his face impassive and his voice calm, he replied," I must obey my master."

Aragorn gave him a scrutinizing look, as though he were trying to glimpse into Neralin's mind. The spy focused again upon Legolas when he stated," I thought as much. It's my unfortunate duty to lock you in a cell until you are no longer a hazard to my people. Alas, I regret putting such a young human through such a fate, especially one who has suffered as much as you."

For a few moments, all of the stares were redirected to Legolas. How could he have known about Neralin's past? The elven prince just smiled knowingly and continued," I can see the traces of your suffering upon you clearly. The way you stand so rigidly shows that this is not the first time you have been in captivity. Your eyes alone tell tales of suffering and torment, along with an unfortunate lack of hope."

The young spy attempted to step back, to run, anything to get away from the being who seemed to know far too much about him. When escape was not possible, Neralin questioned," How could you know all this?"

Legolas looked distant as he responded," I know the signs of someone who has been tortured into hopelessness, separated from all who care and left on your own. I know, because I have been there."

Neralin's face contorted in confusion. He couldn't imagine a prince suffering anywhere near as much as he had. His voice held an underlying challenge as he retorted," You couldn't possibly have gone through what I have! You're an elf, and a prince! You sit around all day while servants are forced to obey your every command. Your warriors are forced to fight while you enjoy an evening of pleasure with fellow royalty. Occasionally you must make a diplomatic journey to other realms, where you are once again pampered!"

A great weariness was in the prince's voice as he said softly," If only you knew how far that is from the truth. I fear what other lies Saruman may have fed to you."

With one eyebrow cocked, Neralin was led away. He didn't understand the tone Legolas had used. The prince had spoken as though the mere act of remembering his past brought pain and exaustion. Neralin rationalized that Legolas must have been feeling the effects of his injuries. Once Neralin was in the cell, the ropes were removed, and he was left alone in the dark again. As the cell door clicked shut, the young man pushed himself into a corner, drawing his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. When no more sounds could be heard outside, he rested his head against his knees and cried.

* * *

Once Neralin was out of sight, Legolas' breaths started to become ragged. The arrow had pierced Legolas in the stomach. Blood flowed from the wound, making the elf feel dizzy. He felt himself being guided up to his room, and heard comforting voices around him. Soon, his back touched his bed, and Aragorn was requesting materials to help him remove the arrow. With a few small cuts to widen the entry wound, the arrow came out. After cleaning the wound and applying healing herbs, Aragorn stitched the wound back together. A bandage was placed over the stitches, and Aragorn moved on to the rest of Legolas' beaten body.

When Aragorn finished cleaning and binding Legolas' many wounds, Gimli and the hobbits slipped into the room, occupying the seats nearest the elf's bed. Legolas blinked many times in succession, attempting to clear his eyes. Giving his friends a mischievious smile, he said," Wasn't that fun?"

His comment was recieved with glares from all who were in the room. Turning his expression more serious, Legolas asked," Has anyone gone to question our...guest?"

"No," Aragorn responded with a sigh," we were going to wait until you were ready to talk to him. Your father seems to think you need more practice with questioning prisoners. Besides, you would understand him better than anyone else. You were his target, so you should talk to him."

Legolas nodded, accepting the explanation. Slowly, he started pushing himself up, with the obvious intention to go question the boy they were holding in the dungeon. Aragorn promptly tried to force him to remain in bed. The attempt was unsuccessful, and Legolas stood unsteadily. The injured elf stumbled out of the room and down the stairwells to the dungeon. Aragorn and Gimli exchanged a glance and followed the elf.

Finally, Legolas reached Neralin's cell. The boy didn't hear the elf's quiet approach, and Legolas could hear quiet sobs echoing through the hall. Once he opened the cell door, the crying came to an abrubt halt, but Legolas could still see the boy's shoulders shaking with his now silent misery. Legolas walked into the cell slowly, laying a comforting hand on Neralin's shoulder. He knelt, so he would be closer to eye level with the boy. Softly, he asked," What is your name?"

After a moment the boy looked up, rubbed his wet eyes, and replied," Neralin. I can't remember who my father was. It's been so long..."

With that, Neralin started crying again. Legolas' heart went out to the young human and he asked," How old are you, Neralin? How long has it been since Saruman took you away from your family?"

"I'm...I'm seventeen," Neralin choked out between sobs," Orcs destroyed my home when I was three. They...they killed everyone in the village. They killed my parents and my little sister. But...they took me to Saruman. I joined him because I was afraid, and I didn't know what else to do. I was only three! The orcs were so cruel...they always are. When Saruman was training me, my failures were punished harshly. I was handed over to the orcs, and they could do anything they wanted as long as I lived and wasn't permanently damaged. By the time I was seven, I had given up hope. I would dream of escape, but I knew it would never come. I thought I may finally know freedom during the War of the Ring, but Saruman survived, and no one knew were I was. This is only the second time I've been given a mission by myself. I'm very sorry that I shot you, Prince Legolas. I didn't want to, but...but I can't take the orcs' punishment anymore. I failed my mission. I fear what awaits me when Saruman comes."

Legolas pulled Neralin into a close hug, whispering," No evil shall befall you while you are under my protection, Neralin. You are a guest of Mirkwood, and I will protect you as I would any citizen of this realm. You have my word."

Shocked, Neralin pulled out of the embrace and asked disbelievingly," You would do that for me, even after what I did? I deserve whatever punishment you feel is necessary."

"You have been punished enough for all the mistakes you'll ever make, Neralin," Legolas told him with a smile. The elf stood, extending a hand to help the boy stand as well. Together, they exited the cell to find a highly amused human and dwarf just outside the door.

Neralin shudder involuntarily, and Legolas put a comforting arm around the boy's shoulders. Aragorn smiled mirthfully," You're going to have a lot of fun explaining this to your father, Legolas."

With a glance at Neralin, Legolas replied," Whatever lecture he comes up with will not change my decision. I believe Neralin deserves a second chance, and I intend to give him one. No matter what adar says."

* * *

Thranduil's eyes blazed with anger. Looking down at his stubborn son and the timid human beside him, he asked, "Why do you stand up for a criminal, Legolas? You demand his freedom, while a court would demand his death! He may be young, but he has spied on us, and attempted to murder you! You cannot allow such a criminal to walk free, my son."

"He acted because he was afraid!" Legolas declared defensively, "He was taken by Saruman when he was only three! I do not blame him for his crimes. Had I been faced with the same circumstances, I would have acted the same way. We are fortunate enough to have known the comforts of love and family for centuries, but this boy only knew them for a few short years. Surely you cannot believe that he wanted to commit these crimes!"

"How can you believe that he did not?" Thranduil retorted, "We have naught but his word on that! There were no orcs holding a dagger to his throat, forcing his actions! He acted of his own free will. I cannot believe that you are so foolish as to not see this, Legolas! You should have learned by now that humans cannot be trusted."

Legolas was enraged by his father's last comment. His voice was murderously quiet as he responded, "You still allow your prejudices to overrule your judgement, adar. You believe all humans are untrustworthy. What, then, would you consider Aragorn? For he is human, and one of the most trustworthy beings I know."

"This has naught to do with Aragorn, Legolas," King Thranduil shot back," you know this. Aragorn is an exceptional human. He was raised amongst elves. This boy we are judging now has done nothing to earn your trust, my son."

"He lies not," Legolas pressed on, "I have been around humans long enough to know when I am being lied to. His very being, silent as he is now, shouts that he has suffered greatly, and wishes naught to have hurt anyone. What have I done to earn your distrust, father? Why do you question my judgement?"

"You are still young, Legolas," Thranduil said softly, "You have much to learn about the ways of the world. I must consider the safety of those in Mirkwood, as well as your own. I cannot allow your compassion for others to be the downfall of this realm."

The king immediately regretted his words as Legolas' eyes filled with pain. The prince replied nearly soundlessly, "I have learned more about distrust and pain than anyone should ever have to, adar. I'm sorry if I seem like such a failure to you. I will take Neralin with me, we will leave in a few hours. I will not allow you to punish him, and I have sworn to protect him. He will no longer be your responsibilty when we leave. Perhaps I am not fit to rule Mirkwood when you leave, but I will not allow Neralin to encounter any more suffering."

"Legolas," the older elf called softly to his son.

Legolas turned back briefly, his eyes full of determination. "Namarie, adar."

* * *

Sorry this chapter didn't have a lot going on. Don't worry...it'll speed up soon! Please, please, please review!! I'm not updating until I have at least 5 new reviews!


	3. Leaving

**Author's Note:** Hello!My computer is fixed. I was so excited I finished this chapter...but not the rest of the story. I'm sorry. Please bear with me, as it will be a long time before I post another chapter. I've had quite a bit of homework and projects recently, and I'm starting driver's ed tomorrow, so I will have little time to write. Besides that my mom keeps giving out random assignments...like yesterday, when I had to paint the blasted wrought-iron fence black. The paint, unfortunately, was rather sticky and permanent, so I have random black spots on my arms and a spot that greatly resembles a bruise on my leg. Oops...that one was my own fault. I kind of dropped the roller...hehehe. I'm a bit clumsy. Anyway, after that random and completely pointless story, I would like to say thank you to all my reviewers, and I'm terribly sorry that I don't have time to respond to each review individually. Your support is appreciated! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

"Legolas!" Aragorn cried as the elf brushed past him angrily. Neralin was rushing after the elf, clearly shocked. The boy stopped when Aragorn rested a hand on his shoulder. Once Neralin halted, Legolas turned.

The elf's eyes were filled with a sorrowful determination. With a sigh, he replied, "Look after the hobbits, mellon nin. And don't let that stubborn dwarf get himself into any trouble. I hope we cross paths again, Estel. Neralin and I must leave now."

Legolas' statement was greeted with an expression of understanding and concern. Aragorn declared softly, "You're still injured, Legolas. You can't leave now! You've only just returned, and what of us? Your friends? Have you forgotten that we are here upon your invitation, to see you? How can you leave now? Surely you could pardon Neralin's crimes and allow him protection here."

"Did you not hear my father? He is being unreasonable. I know he won't allow Neralin to have freedom." Legolas responded remorsefully, "I'm sorry that I'm leaving you now, but surely you can see why! I cannot bring myself to lead you away from the safety of the palace because of my promises. Besides, the fewer there are, the easier it is to remain hidden from the enemy!"

"But what happens when Saruman finds you, Legolas?" Aragorn asked irritatedly. He continued, "You are in no condition to fight, mellon nin, and the boy is young and frightened. It is unwise for you to leave!"

Legolas answered wearily, "There is no other way, Aragorn."

"I...I won't let you do this for me, Prince Legolas," Neralin spoke hesitantly. The elf raised a skeptical eyebrow, and he elaborated, "I won't let you abandon your friends and family for me. We will stay here, and if the king decides to end my life, then so be it. It would be better than going back to...to _him_...I'm sure."

"You're not going to be rid of us so easily, laddie!" Gimli announced as he stepped into the argument.

With a sigh of defeat, Legolas consented, "I suppose I'm not going to win this time, am I? Alright, we will stay here."

"Good," Aragorn smiled in relief. Legolas' uncanny ability to attract danger had nearly gotten the elf killed several times, and Aragorn certainly didn't want to allow his friend to put himself into another one of those situations. With a growing smile, he admitted to himself that he often found himself in dangerous situations far too frequently as well. Frankly, the friendship shared by the man and elf was nothing short of suicidal, considering the situations the two attracted. All the residents of Mirkwood and Rivendell had been shocked when Legolas and Aragorn both managed to get through the War of the Ring without any serious injuries.

"I suppose I should attempt to reason with my father again," Legolas said with disdain.

"Oh, and what would your argument be this time, ion nin?" King Thranduil asked as he stepped into the hall. His eyes held a silent apology that he sent to his son. Legolas met his gaze and smiled gently.

"Ada, I do not wish to leave Mirkwood," the prince announced sincerely. Legolas continued, "I also do not wish to see Neralin punished for the crimes he has committed here. He has suffered too much already."

"If you will not press charges, there is little I can do," King Thranduil returned. With a smile, he told his son, "You may be the judge, Legolas. If you do not wish to punish him, he will not be punished."

"Hannon le, Ada," Legolas thanked him softly. The prince sighed as if a great burden had been lifted. With an odd separation from reality, Legolas realized that everything was starting to spin. Darkness was edging in on his vision, and everyone's voices where becoming distant. Much to the elf's dismay, he passed out.

"Legolas!" Aragorn cried as the elf sank to the floor. As he and Gimli carried Legolas to his room, the man muttered, "And that, my dear friend, is why I didn't want you to leave. I can only imagine what would have happened had you passed out in the middle of the forest."

"I'd rather not think about that," Gimli declared with a shudder.

* * *

Frodo spun toward the door as it opened, revealing a man and a dwarf supporting an extremely pale, unconscious elf. A young human boy was hovering in the background, as was the king, both of whom were shooting anxious glances at the still being. The hobbit quickly unmade the bed and adjusted the pillows for his friend, while Aragorn and Gimli carried him forward. Beside Frodo were Merry and Pippin, both of whom started asking questions the moment the door opened. Legolas opened his eyes as he was placed gently on the bed, and smiled slightly when he saw the hobbits who were gathered around his bed, asking questions even though no one was listening.

"Legolas," Aragorn started in a calm voice, assuming the role of the healer.

The elf cut him off before he could say any more. With a small smile and a wistful tone, Legolas stated, "You want to know what happened, aye? In the excitement downstairs, I seem to have caused my arrow wound to reopen. 'Tis nothing, do not worry."

Aragorn shook his head, knowing it would be pointless to argue with the stubborn prince. With a sigh, he replied, "Ah, yes, but every time you tell me not to worry I simply worry more. You aren't what one would call forthcoming about injuries, Legolas. I know you would sooner allow yourself to bleed to death than admit you received anything more than a scratch."

Pippin cut in to the conversation with his own commentary. "But Legolas wouldn't do something that foolish!"

When Legolas grinned sheepishly from his bed in reply, Pippin looked down and muttered, "Oh. Stubborn fool."

"I heard that, Pippin," Legolas remarked with a false scowl. Aragorn went to work, re-stitching the hole in Legolas' side. In the chairs around the bed, Merry and Pippin were arguing about whether or not Legolas had truly been able to hear Pippin's comment, and Thranduil shot them several annoyed glances while thinking, _How can anyone stand to be around those little beings and not lose their sanity? It seems I've underestimated my son once again, considering how long he survived their company. Not that he's completely sane, either, if you ask me. _Thranduil chuckled quietly at his thoughts.

Still hovering in the doorway was Neralin, who was concerned about Legolas' well-being, but at the same time didn't feel entirely comfortable with the entire group inside the room. The hobbits were amusing, but the others Legolas chose to be with were a bit more intimidating. Especially if one happened to be the cause of a rather deep arrow wound in the elf's side. Focused upon the happenings inside the room, Neralin failed to notice the approach of the wizard from behind, causing him to nearly cry out in fear as a hand touched his shoulder. Only years of rather unpleasant training allowed him to stay silent. Neralin stepped quietly to the side, allowing the wizard to enter the room, while keeping his eyes averted.

Gandalf stepped inside the room, allowing Neralin to resume his position of hovering in the doorway, and then turned back to the boy. A puzzled look crossed the child's face, and he opened his mouth to ask a question, but Gandalf spoke first, "What are you doing there? Should you not be in the room?"

"I…um…well, you see…" Neralin stuttered. After taking a deep breath to calm down, he continued, "I don't feel like I belong with them. They…I'm scared to go in there…but I wanted to be sure that Legolas is okay."

The wizard chuckled, and giving the young human an encouraging smile, told him, "If Legolas is willing to accept you, then his friends shall not question his judgment. Not in front of you, at least."

At the look of horror on Neralin's face, Gandalf's smile broadened. Once he noticed Gandalf's expression, he relaxed a bit, and allowed himself to laugh. With a faintly nervous smile, he entered the room. Once he stepped inside, Legolas shot a grateful smile at Gandalf, and then turned to Neralin, "I'm glad you've decided to join us, my friend. You need not be afraid here, we shall keep you from harm."

"For that I am grateful, your highness," Neralin responded, shifting nervously as he felt the room's occupants' stares burn into his back.

With a grin, Legolas replied," Tis nothing, mellon nin. And please, just Legolas will do. I've always disliked formalities."

* * *

2 Days Later

Mirkwood

* * *

A gentle breeze wept across the balcony. Leaves rustled nearby, and a few strands of long blonde hair blew into the eyes of the young elf that was perched on the balcony's rail. His eyes were partially closed, and his hand rested lightly on a nearby tree. A contented smile graced the fair being's face as he communicated with the tree. His posture was slightly more stiff than usual, but that was to be expected after his injuries, which were thankfully almost healed. At the sound of approaching footsteps, the young elf sighed and turned toward the door, which opened moments later revealing the elf's father.

"How are you feeling, _ion nin_?" the older elf asked.

"As well as to be expected, I suppose," Legolas answered. He knew his father wasn't here for a casual conversation. Before his father could explain his purpose for coming, the young prince asked, "Have there been any more problems with the orcs?"

With a sigh, the king nodded. A saddened look crossed his face, "They have become more of a problem than I had thought. Most of the normal patrols have been overwhelmed. I have requested help from Lothlorien and Imladris, but I fear they shall come too late. It is difficult for me to request this of you so soon after your recovery, ion nin, but I must ask you to return to your patrol. You are Mirkwood's most skilled warrior. We need you to fight, lest we fall into darkness."

"I shall go, ada," Legolas replied solemnly. Smiling, he declared, "I'm sure my friends will help as well. It has been long since we have fought together, but before the Fellowship we fought naught at all. We have won many battles together. This shall be no different."

Thranduil was proud and devestated at the same time. Twas only to be expected, for it is difficult for a father to allow his only son to charge off into battle, death a possibility at any given moment, while at the same time he is incredibly proud at the sacrifices his child is willing to make for his home, and the prowess in which he achieves his objectives. He was pleased that his son had friendships that he was willing to trust boundlessly. Legolas smiled encouragingly before he darted out the door to gather his friends.

* * *

Sitting out in the courtyard were Aragorn, Gimli, and the hobbits. Legolas approached them, excitement and concern clearly discernable. With a grin, he said, "Let's hunt some orc!"

Gimli and Aragorn laughed at his statement, for it was not the first time they had heard it. The hobbits exchanged puzzled glances before Sam asked, "Are you sure you're ready for that, Legolas? Seeing as how it's only been two days since you were injured."

A musical laugh drifted in the wind, and the elf replied merrily, "Of course, Sam! Forget not that elves heal more rapidly than one may expect. My injuries shall hinder me no longer. The borders need more protection, and we are running short on warriors. Many have departed for Valinor, and help from the other realms will arrive late. I must fight, and I must request aid, lest Mirkwood fall to evil."

"That shall not happen if I can help it, _mellon nin_, " Aragorn replied, "I, for one, will fight. Though I fear that help from Gondor would arrive too late to be of assistance."

"I'll fight as well, laddie!" Gimli announced, grinning broadly, "I shall kill more of the foul beasts than you, without a doubt!"

"We will fight," Pippin spoke. He then turned to Merry and asked, "We will fight, won't we?"

Chuckling, Merry replied, "But of course!"

Sam and Frodo agreed as well, and the Fellowship separated, going to their respective rooms, to prepare for the journey in the woods. Legolas' side was aching more than he cared to admit as he packed what he would need for the trip. Suddenly, he realized that he had yet to tell Neralin and Gandalf of his plans. The boy, he knew, would be safer at the palace. But Gandalf he had not seen since he awoke after reopening his arrow wound. He decided that the wizard must be up to something, and surely his father would tell Gandalf of their plans if he reappeared soon.

In the morning, the Fellowship set off with a small company of elven warriors, Legolas' good friend Raenin amongst them. With only minor misgivings, Legolas led the way to their assigned region along the border, and the coming battle.

* * *

Shortly after the company left, Gandalf returned, requesting an immediate audience with King Thranduil. His wish was granted, and he burst into the king's study, announcing, "Saruman is not after Mirkwood. He desires to capture the members of the Fellowship, and seek his revenge. You must not let them leave the safety of the palace, for if they do they shall walk straight into a trap."

Misery clearly showing in the king's eyes, Thranduil replied softly, "Tis too late. They left at my request to defend the borders. There is naught we can do now but wait, and hope that by some miracle they will come home."

* * *

Saruman smirked, declaring, "Here they come! All goes as planned..."

**TBC**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hello again. This is the part where you SEND A REVIEW! please! Anyway, thank you for reading, and reviewing. And for all you silent readers (yes, you, my dear reader who isnt planning on sending me a review...) thank you for reading, and I hope you will come back when I eventually update again! Thank you for your patience! 


	4. An Interesting Turn

**Author's Note: **Hello...I thought I'd update. Be warned, this chapter is really short, I'll never post a chapter this short again, and in my opinion it doesn't flow very well. It's a pretty crappy chapter, but it's a transition and I needed it. I'm very, very sorry, and I'll update very soon with a longer and hopefully less crappy chapter! My apologies!

**Reviews:** Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. Unfortunately I don't have time to respond to each one individually, but I wanted you to know that each review was important and I am very grateful for your input.

* * *

The forest had become unnaturally silent. Otherwise, the ambush had been set up perfectly. The orcs were surrounding the elves, hobbits, man, and dwarf, yet none had any suscpicions yet. They were lurking just out of earshot of the elves, thus giving them the upper hand. Not only did they outnumber the company greatly, but they also had the company completely surrounded, so none could escape. Saruman smiled, knowing that his plan was working.

* * *

Thranduil paced anxiously in his study. In a chair sat Gandalf, contemplating the best way to reach the Fellowship and their guards before Saruman's evil plan befell them with little sucess. At last, with a heavy sigh, Gandalf stated, "We must not remain here. I will go with your warriors and your best tracker. We must find them while they still have a chance!"

"Aye," Thranduil agreed, "I only hope it is not too late. Mirkwood cannot survive the fall of her prince."

Soon, Gandalf and Thranduil had assembled a large group of warriors, leaving quickly in the direction of what would soon be an ambush.

* * *

Legolas' grace was slightly diminished from his still-healing injuries. All in his company noticed the difference, though none wished to point this fact out to the elf. Aragorn and Gimli had been watching him carefully. Both had agreed, when Legolas was out of earshot, that it would have been better to have left the elf in the palace, at least until he was healed. So concerned were they with Legolas that none, save said elf, noticed the forest grow silent.

"The sounds of the forest have gone silent," Legolas warned, "danger approaches."

Moments later, the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard. All around them, pouring out around the company were the orcs, more numerous than any had believed possible. There was no escape. Elves drew their bows, shooting arrows in rapid sucession. Legolas found less sucess than usual, for though he still was more accurate than any other in the company, his movements were slower, hindered greatly by his healing injuries. All too soon the archers were forced to use their knives or swords, fighting in hand-to-hand combat to try to survive.

Aragorn was slashing and parrying, fighting well without a doubt, though it soon proved to be too little. Surrounded by seven orcs, there was little the man could do. He was quickly disarmed and the last thing he saw was a hilt of a sword rapidly descending toward his head. Less than fifty feet away, Gimli too was struck unconscious. Legolas was fighting surprisingly well. With a desperation that shone in his eyes, he cut down orc after orc, only to see his companions swiftly falling. From were he stood he could not help Aragorn, nor Gimli, thus he decided to help the hobbits.

An orc stabbed deeply into his chest as Pippin turned. A cold darkness surrounded the hobbit as he felt his grasp on consciousness, and life itself, slipping. It was becoming harder to breathe, now. The last thing he saw was Legolas, fighting desperately to reach him.

Legolas nearly cried out in despair as he saw Pippin fall. He stabbed angrily at the orcs, trying to reach his fallen companion before it was too late, but missed the orc behind him. A sharp pain shot through his side as one orc stabbed his healing arrow wound, and the world swirled into darkness. Soon Frodo, Sam, and Merry had fallen, and the elven guards were slaughtered. The orcs quickly bound their unconscious prisoners, setting off toward Saruman's lair. Left behind were the slaughtered elves and Pippin, who had been stabbed through the chest. Saruman had no interest in the dead.

**TBC**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Once again, I apologize! Please, please review!


	5. Plans and Revelations

**Author's Note:** Hey, I updated sooner than you thought! For this update you can thank my friend, Emily, who pushed me to finish! Ha, I finished early! Anyway, we agreed that I couldn't see Star Wars until I updated this...so here it is! Not particularly action filled and not much in the way of torture, but that's coming in the next chapter!

**Reviewers: **Thank you for reviewing! I've never been called an orc before, that was interesting. For those of you who were upset about Pippin's veryimplied death (which was all of my reviewers, except Emily who only said "AH!") you will like this chapter.

* * *

Through the night the orcs traveled with their unconscious prisoners, met with no resistance. For, by that time, the elves led by Thranduil and Gandalf were just arriving at the scene of the ambush. Across the ground many slain bodies were scattered. The sight was devestating for all who beheld it, but even more so for Gandalf, for upon arriving he had spotted the small body of a hobbit lying in the grass. With a heavy heart the wizard slipped off his horse, making his way slowly to the small figure, for once his shoulders slightly slumped in the manner of most elderly men, for his despair was great. When the distance was not as great, Gandalf could tell that the hobbit he gazed upon was none other than Pippin, the ceaselessly joyful hobbit with too much curiosity for his own good. As he approached, the wizard murmured sorrowfully, "That fool of a Took..."

Kneeling beside the hobbit, Gandalf instinctively checked for a pulse. Lo and behold, the pulse remained! Dizzy with shock and joy, the wizard promptly double checked his findings, to gain the same result. The resilience of the hobbit had saved young Pippin, though the severity of his wound still put him at risk of passing. On a somewhat less fortunate note, Pippin was the only one left behind that had survived, and he was barely surviving at that. Many a friend of Legolas had been slaughtered, including his close childhood friend Tawarchadel.Gandalf, though, after regaining his senses, called over one of the elves in the company who was particularly skilled in healing. Eruviluion, the formerly mentioned elf, rushed over, taking in all he could of Pippin's current state. Minutes later he stated softly, "He has survived this long, though 'tis not likely that he shall live to see the morrow. We must return him to the palace, for I have not the proper medicines nor herbs to help him."

"We must move quickly, else his death shall be inevitable. 'Twould be a shame to lose such a young one, his life has barely begun!" Eruviluion continued. The other elves carried Pippin back to Mirkwood, whilst Eruviluion carefully monitored the hobbit. Gandalf and Thranduil led the precession, discussing what they should do to rescue Mirkwood's prince and his friends.

At the moment, the wizard and the king were disagreeing. "We must send elves to rescue them! They shall perish if we do not!" Thranduil exclaimed in great frustration. Indeed, he had a point, for the morale of the Fellowship was waning. With such a loss strength too would vanish, leaving the unfortunate companions with no defence against the evil that threatened them.

"'Tis too late! We must believe that they shall come through, as they have in the past. To send aid to them now would merely destroy the lives of more elves and men! We must keep faith in their strength. When they are united, they are more powerful a force that Saruman believes them to be. His underestimation of them shall be his downfall, and their means of escape!" Gandalf pointed out. A good point, indeed! With an unconcluded argument the group arrived at the palace, where Pippin was taken to the Healing Wing. The room was soon filled with the healers of Mirkwood, all swarming around the young hobbit in an attempt to keep his death from becoming a reality.

* * *

Meanwhile, Aragorn and Gimli were waking. Within moments both had assessed the situation and had both come to the conclusion that, alas, 'twas a rather bad situation to be in. Coherent thoughts were difficult to form amidst the agony of their headaches, but as both were well trained in the dealings of pain and hardship, they managed to push aside the pain to realize that the world was indeed upside down. Their wrists and ankles were bound tightly with thick ropes, and both were slung over the shoulder of an orc, in the most disconcerting position that one frequently sees a sack of potatoes. And a sack of potatoes they felt like, as well! Aragorn first spotted Legolas who was, to the man's great dismay, unconscious, extremely pale, and had a reddish-brown stain growing rapidly on his tunic, near a split in the fabric.

By this time dawn was rapidly approaching, and the orcs decided hastily to sleep in a cave whilst they were able. The Fellowship, with only two conscious members, was dropped unceremoniously in a heap in the back of the cave. Two orcs were assigned to guard the cave's entrance, and with the prisoners believed to be unconcious, no guards were posted. Thus, Aragorn and Gimli finally had a moment to discuss quietly what to do about their predicament. Aragorn softly stated his previous observation to the dwarf, "Legolas' wound has been reopened. Whether by an orc scimitar or too much stress I do not know, and shall not know till he awakens and tells his tale."

"Aye, this is bad news! But have you not noticed that a hobbit is missing? What became of the laddie?" Gimli wondered. Aragorn, too, was concerned. Perhaps Pippin had managed to escape, though Aragorn doubted this to be true. He would have to wait till his companions awakened to learn of the hobbit's fate. A soft moan caught the man's attention, and immediately he turned to Legolas, who was stirring.

Slowly Legolas opened his eyes, only to have his fears confirmed. 'Twas not, as he had hoped, a bad dream that would flee upon his awakening. Which meant, of course, that Pippin was truly dead, and the Fellowship doomed to suffer at Saruman's hand. Guilt overrode the elf, for if he had not insisted that they visit his home, none of this would have happened. The Fellowship would be free, Pippin would be alive, and the unfortunate elven guards would not have fled to Mandos' Halls. Thus, the pain of Legolas' heart made the pain of his physical wounds seem insignificant. For a moment the elf wanted nothing more than to fade, freeing his soul to join his fallen comrades. Once the notion passed he silently rebuked himself for even considering this path when it would mean leaving his friends to further pain.

"Legolas," Aragorn whispered as the elf seemed to awaken.

The elf sat up slowly and stiffly, one hand automatically covering his injury. Leaning carefully against the cave wall, he asked quietly, "How fared the others?"

"Gimli and I are the only ones besides you who have awoken. Pippin is the only one who is not here. Do you know what became of him?" Aragorn whispered.

At once the man regretted his question, for Legolas' eyes filled with pain and sorrow as he replied, "Aye, though I wish his fate were different. He was felled by an orc scimitar, and he never rose. 'Tis very unlikely that he would have survived such a deep blow to the chest, and his absence here is a corroboration to his death. I did not reach him in time."

Legolas by this time was staring into the ground, fully accepting responsibility for the death of the hobbit, though 'twas not his fault. A great sorrow filled Aragorn now, for he cared deeply about his friends, and the loss of Pippin was overwhelming. For now, however, the man resolved to push aside his grief till his friend was in a less precarious situation. The elf's wound desperately needed tending, and perhaps more perilous was the elf's guilt, which gnawed at his heart, threating to destroy his very soul. Such an occurance would cause Legolas to fade, and he would die. Aragorn stated, "'Twas not your fault, Legolas! You must not allow yourself to believe it! Do not let this darkness overtake you, mellon nin, for the loss of you in addition to the loss of Pippin would surely cause all to despair. We need you to help keep hope alive, for it has not fled. You must also allow me to tend to your wound, else it will not heal properly."

"I will not fade, mellon nin," Legolas declared in a whisper. The man proceeded to tend to the elf's wound as best as the situation would permit, for they lacked water or herbs to clean the wound.

"How did you come to reopen that wound, laddie?" Gimli asked quietly.

"An orc decided that it would not be enough to simply give me a headache, as they have done for the rest of you," Legolas replied shakily. More pain had erupted as Aragorn tended carefully to the wound. Careful as the ministrations were, naught could be done to lessen the intense agony of such a wound, as it had been infected sometime whilst they traveled unconsciously. The elf, for his part, did a noteworthy job of keeping his friends from seeing the depths of his suffering. Shortly thereafter, Legolas found himself once again drifting to the peaceful oblivion of unconsciousness.

* * *

Birds twittered outside the window, whilst Pippin, sporting a nasty headache as a reverberation of the copious blood loss he had suffered, made his tortous way back toward consciousness. A soft, barely audible moan emitted from the ailing hobbit alerted his ardent watchers of his awakening. A sweet, melodious voice above the hobbit suddenly sounded, "How do you feel, Master Pippin? Can you remember what happened?"

Blinking repeatedly in an endeaver to drag himself fully from the grasp of unconsciousness, the young hobbit managed to find his voice and replied hoarsely, "I feel as would be expected of one who has been stabbed through the chest."

Musical laughter, tinkling like bells, resounded through the room, as Sirolwen declared, "Not even such a close brush with death dims the humor of a hobbit! 'Tis encouraging, for that means your recovery shall be swift. Now, what of the battle do you remember?"

Memories made a sudden and painful assualt upon Pippin's mind. The hobbit saw flashes of the battle in his mind; Aragorn fighting fiercely before a blow to the head took him out, Gimli suffering a similar fate, Merry fighting galantly nearby, Sam and Frodo defending each other, and Legolas' frantic attempts to reach him before an explosion of pain in his chest overwhelmed him, causing him to pass out. Aye, he nearly died, that he could remeber. Hesitantly, he asked, "How do my companions fare? For I remember much of the battle, till I myself was felled."

"All were taken by the orcs, save for you and the guards. We now have sent forth a party of elves to track them and assess their situation. Should rescue be a possibility, 'twould be a most favorable course," Sirolwen explained, deliberately leaving out the more likely course of action. She, like majority of the Mirkwood elves, disagreed with the present course of action. 'Twas dishonorable to stay hidden with a realm whilst renowned and beloved heroes were left to face the foes of their past. But none dared to speak publicly of it, for it was decided by Mithrandir, a Maia, whose decisions demanded the utmost respect and obedience.

Curiosity, however, was a well known trait of this particular hobbit, so Sirolwen was none too surprised when he asked, "And what course shall be taken if rescue does not seem to be a possibility? Surely you do not plan to leave them to torment?"

"'Tis not something I would care to be responsible for, but that is what would happen. Mithrandir has stated his opinion, and it must be respected. A great faith he has placed upon the strength and ingenuity of your former companions!" Sirolwen declared in response. Moments passed in silence before Sirolwen began her examination of the hobbit, carefully cleansing and rebandaging the wounds, announcing, "Your wound heals quite well. Soon you shall be able to move about. By the time your friends return- and they shall return!- you will be healed."

* * *

Gandalf, Thranduil, and the king's advisors were bickering in the king's council room. The elves sent to track the orcs had returned, reporting that if they did not liberate the Fellowship now, it was unlikely that Legolas would survive. His wound was grievious, infected, and indeed poisoned. To leave him in his current company would be a death sentence upon the beloved prince, for the orcs spared no water nor supplies for the company's packs for treatment of wounds. In their limited mentality, they believed keeping the elf near death would be their means of controlling the entire group. And truly their method worked, for none would risk the loss of another companion so soon.

"I will not sit by and allow my son to die such a torturous death!" Thranduil declared fiercely, "Valar help anyone who stands in my way! I will not be left without a son!"

"This is a most unexpected developement," Gandalf murmured thoughtfully, "as Saruman seemed set upon revenge! How is it possible to get revenge upon one who is dead? 'Tis not possible! Legolas will not be allowed to die. If his condition becomes too bad, the orcs will allow Aragorn to treat him if only to save themselves from punishment."

Thranduil was seething by this point. "Is this supposed to be reassuring, Mithrandir! That my son will be kept alive, but barely, until Saruman sees fit to allow his complete recovery, only to torture him in some other unimaginable way when escape has become a far away dream?"

"Yes, actually," Gandalf declared, "for he would first heal Legolas, then proceed with the unpleasantries. Meanwhile, they would be able to plan an escape, and they would return to us! Besides, I have every intention of drawing his attention away from his prisoners."

Thus the plan was decided. Gandalf would provide the best distraction possible, whilst the Fellowship was left to its own devices to plot an escape, though by Thranduil's order a score of elven soldiers would be standing by to assist the Fellowship when the time came. True, 'twas not the plan that the elves desired, but the wisdom behind it could not be denied. Many more difficult obsticales the Fellowship had faced, and never had they failed. Between Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli a plot was sure to be formed, and the hobbits were both courageous and able. All that could be done now was hope, and have faith.

Unbeknownst to them at the moment, however, the group they were discussing was showing very little ability to think reasonably. Indeed, most of said group could only think of the agony they were currently experiencing at the hands of the orcs.

**TBC**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Please review! I need the inspiration, otherwise I won't finish this before June 10. Then, you'll have to wait till mid july for an update. So, please review! 


	6. Torture Of A Sort

**AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it. I would like to apologize for taking so long to update. I seem to do that a lot, dont I? I'm very sorry. I had a busy summer, and then there was band and school. For all of you who have been in a marching band in Texas, I think you know how band is. Sunday is the only day you don't have practice. It doesn't leave a lot of time for homework (which I have massive amounts of) and writing. Sorry! **

**HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY, KATIE! SWEET 16 ON FRIDAY!**

Last Chapter:

_Kneeling beside the hobbit, Gandalf instinctively checked for a pulse. Lo and behold, the pulse remained! Dizzy with shock and joy, the wizard promptly double checked his findings, to gain the same result. The resilience of the hobbit had saved young Pippin, though the severity of his wound still put him at risk of passing..._

_Meanwhile, Aragorn and Gimli were waking. Within moments both had assessed the situation and had both come to the conclusion that, alas, 'twas a rather bad situation to be in. Coherent thoughts were difficult to form amidst the agony of their headaches, but as both were well trained in the dealings of pain and hardship, they managed to push aside the pain to realize that the world was indeed upside down. Their wrists and ankles were bound tightly with thick ropes, and both were slung over the shoulder of an orc, in the most disconcerting position that one frequently sees a sack of potatoes. And a sack of potatoes they felt like, as well! Aragorn first spotted Legolas who was, to the man's great dismay, unconscious, extremely pale, and had a reddish-brown stain growing rapidly on his tunic, near a split in the fabric..._

_"All were taken by the orcs, save for you and the guards. We now have sent forth a party of elves to track them and assess their situation. Should rescue be a possibility, 'twould be a most favorable course," Sirolwen explained, deliberately leaving out the more likely course of action. She, like majority of the Mirkwood elves, disagreed with the present course of action. 'Twas dishonorable to stay hidden with a realm whilst renowned and beloved heroes were left to face the foes of their past. But none dared to speak publicly of it, for it was decided by Mithrandir, a Maia, whose decisions demanded the utmost respect and obedience_...

_Thus the plan was decided. Gandalf would provide the best distraction possible, whilst the Fellowship was left to its own devices to plot an escape, though by Thranduil's order a score of elven soldiers would be standing by to assist the Fellowship when the time came. True, 'twas not the plan that the elves desired, but the wisdom behind it could not be denied. Many more difficult obsticales the Fellowship had faced, and never had they failed. Between Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli a plot was sure to be formed, and the hobbits were both courageous and able. All that could be done now was hope, and have faith._

_Unbeknownst to them at the moment, however, the group they were discussing was showing very little ability to think reasonably. Indeed, most of said group could only think of the agony they were currently experiencing at the hands of the orcs..._

* * *

The bitter pains of sorrow and guilt burned in Merry for he believed Pippin to be dead. The mere thought was unbearable, for Merry had sworn that he would never allow anything to touch his dear friend whilst he still had a breath in him. No comfort could be found amongst his current surroundings for they had reached Saruman's lair the previous day and each member of the Fellowship had been separated, isolated upon arrival. There was nothing to keep Merry from dwelling upon dark thoughts except, of course, when the orcs arrived to have their fun. Thus, ironically, 'twas Merry who first fell to despair and darkness. When Saruman came to inspect the progress the next day, he was pleased to find the young hobbit broken. With a smirk, he whispered, "Where were you when Pippin fell? You have failed him. What you experience here is a fair punishment for your shortcomings."

With a strange, almost suicidal gleam in his eyes, Merry spoke, "I know. I will not fail him again, creature of shadow! Your words bring me naught but anger. Obedience from me you shall not recieve, not this day. I will soon join Pippin in death, whether it be your plan or not."

With that Saruman turned sharply, exiting the cell with a deliberately slow pace. How frustrating that even a broken hobbit would block out his words! Loyalty, the very trait the wizard had planned to exploit, seemed to be working against him. Surely not all the prisoners would be so difficult. The elf was the most likely to be twisted to Saruman's evil purposes, for without nature an elf's spirit is easily broken. Emotional turmoil, of course, helps as well. And plenty of that the elf had! An overwhelming sense of guilt settled over Legolas, not only for the death of Pippin, but for the capture of his friends as well. The wizard knew what his final steps to turning the elven prince to darkness would be.

Within his cell, Legolas had no way of knowing what Saruman was plotting, nor did he care. His body raged with fever, for infection had set in on his many wounds, making him incapable of a rational thought. Visions of Pippin's death ran through his head constantly. The only reprieve from those images where the images of the rest of the Fellowship dying slowly, painfully, within this prison, and Mirkwood being utterly destroyed by rain that burns. Indeed, that was no reprieve at all. The images, of course, had been planted in the elf's mind by some foul spell of Saruman's. Pure agony tore at the unfortunate elf's body and soul while he was powerless to do anything about it. In the cell next to Legolas was Aragorn, who was being torn apart by the elf's anguished cries. The only one who had yet to come near the breaking point was Gimli. Whilst the Fellowship fell apart from the inside out, Saruman could feel naught but satisfaction with a touch of impatience.

The door to Aragorn's cell burst open, revealing one of the more hideous orcs, who also happened to be rather large. The beast grabbed the man's arm, practically dragging him out of the cell and into that of his neighbor's. Aragorn kept his face impassive, whilst inside he was filled with relief, for he now had the opportunity to see to Legolas' various injuries. With a careless toss, the orc sent Aragorn tumbling into the cell and straight into a wall. After the ungraceful landing, his pack hit him in the head. The door to the cell slammed, and the man was left alone with Legolas. The elf, however, remained oblivious to his friend's presence, for he was in the throes of a nightmare. When the elf began thrashing at the walls, further injuring himself, Aragorn hurried to his side, murmuring words of comfort. Once the elf settled down a bit, Aragorn began treating his numerous wounds.

* * *

Hours later, the elf awoke, finding that for the first time since his capture his thoughts were no longer muddled. Another shocking discovery for the recently stabilized elf was the man sitting next to him, whose voice was undeniably familiar. These facts Legolas welcomed gladly. At least, whilst the situation was by no means desirable, he knew that the man still lived and was well enough to bring the elf from his delirious state. After a few moments, the man seemed to realize that the elf had awoken. "How do you feel mellon nin?"

"I've been better," Legolas admitted reluctantly. The elf's voice was not as strong as it normally was, though Legolas did his best to appear to be fine. Slowly the elf attempted to sit up, only to be overwhelmed by pain that seemed to come from everywhere at once. With a small grunt Legolas returned to his original position on his back. A frustrated sigh to his right indicated that Aragorn was none too pleased by his current state.

"We will get out of here," Aragorn declared vehemently. When the door opened mere moments later, revealing Saruman standing menacingly before them, the look of pure loathing given to him by Aragorn unnerved him. Which is quite a feat, when all is considered. Unfortunately, this only made the insane wizard more angry.

With an unbecoming sneer, the wizard snarled to the orcs behind him, "Take him back to his cell. The elf and I have matters to discuss without his presence or yours. Have fun with our precious king."

A struggling Aragorn was dragged from the room, whilst Legolas sat in a stunned and somewhat frightened silence, though he allowed neither emotion to be shown. Saruman turned toward the elf, his expression cold and empty. The glare that was returned was quite unsettling. For a moment, the wizard couldn't help but think that Legolas had been over exaggerating his previous state simply to get his captor to lower his defences. With a bit more thought about his knowledge of elves, the suspicion was dismissed and replaced with the suspicion that if anything, the elf had downplayed his injuries and was still doing so. This notion, of course, made his irrational fear of the elf dissipate. A small smile was spreading across Saruman's face, causing a flicker of fear to shine in the elf's eyes. In a mocking tone, the wizard taunted, "Do you realize, foolish prince, that even as you sit here, your home is being destroyed? Not even the trees shall survive. It is your doing, foolish one. For if it were not for your asinine heroic tendencies, your kingdom would be left untouched. You, fatuous elf, by your well intended actions, have condemned those you wished to save. For at this moment, Mirkwood burns from deadly acid rain, and there is naught you can do to stop it."

"Stay your foul tongue, flagitious wizard! Your lies sway me not, as your words have never proven trustworthy in the past. My only regret from my quest is that I did not slay you whilst I had the chance. Leave me in peace, pernicious one," Legolas retorted coldly, with much more conviction than he truly felt. For a great sense of unease had worked its way around the elf's heart, along with a much deeper sense of fear than he would ever care to admit. Behind the wizard's words, Legolas sensed the some semblance of the truth. Whilst it was undeniable that his dreams of Mirkwood's destruction could be another foul work of Saruman, it was equally possible that the wizard had spoken truthfully. As the prince of Mirkwood Legolas had a connection to his home, and he sensed the distress of Mirkwood more strongly than he had even in the War of the Ring. Though the elf desperately hoped that Saruman was once again weaving despicable lies, he knew the wizard's tendencies well enough to know that it was not impossible for him to destroy Mirkwood without shedding a tear. It was, in truth, a very likely course of action for the wizard. For what would hurt the Prince of Mirkwood more than to escape only to find his home in ruins? Or to live with the knowledge that his home was destroyed and he was unable to even reach it to pay his final respects?

"Even when you are a captive you dare to give me orders. You impudence astounds me, though it should not, for it has defined your character since you were an elfling. I can see you know the truth of my words, though you choose ignorance over reality. How will the foolish elfling react when ignorance is no longer a possibility?" Saruman responded evenly before sweeping out of the cell. The silence was broken by the locks clicking into place on the cell door. Then, there was nothing to distract the elf from his thoughts and impending despair.

* * *

This was not the first time Aragorn found himself at the mercy of orcs. There had, indeed, been several such occasions since he was old enough to leave Rivendell on hunting expeditions and the like. None, however, had been quite as painful as this experience. The vile creatures took to heart the words of the wizard. Using nearly every torture implement within the confines of Saruman's lair, the orcs had given Aragorn quite an unpleasant beating. The man's back was covered in bloody lines, while everywhere else seemed to be either bruised or bleeding. Aragorn was also fairly certain he had no less than three broken ribs, and several more were cracked. Thus, Aragorn found himself in a similar state to the one he had just pulled Legolas out of. Unfortunately, there were no healers as adriot as himself, thus it was unlikely that he would experience the miraculous recovery that his friend had. Add to that the fact that he was not an elf, and thus did not have the elven ability to heal at an increased rate, Aragorn was facing quite a dilema. Unconsciousness soon claimed him and his dreams were haunted by the murder of his beloved wife, Arwen, and Gondor's fall.

Aragorn awoke to a rather disturbing sight the following day. Saruman and two of his ugliest orcs were hovering over him, staring. As soon as he registered what he was seeing, the man sat up quickly, barely containing a shout of surprised disgust. _With mornings like this, it's no wonder I've been having such bad days! _Aragorn thought in annoyance. The day did not improve much for the poor man after that.

"I bear bad news for Aragorn, King of Gondor," Saruman declared mockingly. In a menacing tone he continued, "You have failed to protect your wife, the lovely Lady Arwen. For it 'twas just last night that the news came, your wife left for Mirkwood, intending to find the reason for your extended absence. She fell into the hands of orcs, and was tortured for hours before death took her. 'Tis your fault, imbecilic man, for you were not there to protect her, and it was because of you she left. You have caused the deaths of two whom were dear to you, how many more must die before you will admit to your erroneous ways? You cause death and destruction at every turn, and never realize it until it's too late."

Aragorn made no response as he stared blankly at the floor. Saruman, believing he had succeeded in breaking the man, left. Even after his abrubt departure, Aragorn stayed still for hours before passing out.

* * *

Of all the prisoners, Gimli seemed the least affected by Saruman's torture. He was, undeniably, in a good deal of pain, but he never allowed the wizard to mess with his mind. The arrogant wizard contributed his failure to the extremely stubborn nature of dwarves. This was only partially true. Had it been only Gimli that were captured, the torture inflicted upon him would have long since broken him. As it was, Gimli happened to be extremely angry. Thus, the anger protected him from the psychological torture. The source of his anger was that that _bastard_ was cruel enough to not only kill one of his companions, but to try to use Pippin's death against everyone! He was trying to make the Fellowship blame themselves for the evils that he worked. This, to Gimli, was unforgiveable. Thus, when the nightmares of the fall of the glittering caves haunted Gimli's dreams, he refused to believe they were true. And if they were true, he refused to believe it was his fault. It was the wizard's fault for bearing a grudge against them, imprisoning them, and attacking that which they held most dear.

The dwarf was now planning a solution to the current situation. He only hoped it wouldn't come too late to save his friends. Escaping would be by no means easy, but surely there was a way. He would find it, and reveal Saruman's words for what they truly were- lies.

**TBC**

* * *

**AN: Please review...I'll write faster. Seriously...and there are only a few chapters left. Then, there will be a sequel. If enough people want one. If not, I'll have an evil ending on this story and you'll have to live with it. HA! Let me know if you want a sequel, though, or you won't get one. **


	7. Escape and Discoveries

**AN: **I just wanted to apologize for taking so long to update. This chapter is fairly choppy and out of character. I'm very sorry. I haven't read any Lord of the Rings fanfiction since the last time I updated, so this was considerably more difficult to write than usual. This is also the final chapter of the story. I am planning on writing a sequel at some point, but I don't know when it will be finished, or even started for that matter. I'd like to thank my friends Emily and Katie for making sure that I actually did finish this story. I hope you enjoy the end! It's been fun to write!

* * *

-In Mirkwood-

Pippin gazed out the window, willing his friends to appear at the palace gates. He did see something approaching, though it was not what he had hoped for. A massive dark cloud was heading toward Mirkwood with a distinct foreboding. Something about the cloud was, to put it simply, _off_. It had more of a toxic-brown tint to it than the usual gray color of a rain cloud. Behind him he heard footsteps and he turned to face the intruder. It was Gandalf.

"You've seen it as well, haven't you?" Pippin asked quietly, pointing toward the cloud.

"It is tainted with Saruman's magic. He has been rebuilding his army of orcs, sending the smog of toxins involved in their creation toward Mirkwood. 'Tis no ordinary rain that shall fall upon Mirkwood, Pippin," Gandalf explained wearily, "it is an acidic substance that shall kill everything here."

With a shocked expression, Pippin looked between the toxic cloud and the wizard beside him, asking, "But what about the elves? What shall they do? And what of the others? When they return from wherever Saruman has taken them, Mirkwood shall be ruined! Where will they go? What of Legolas? He lives for his home. Will he choose to leave Middle Earth? What-"

"One question at a time, my dear hobbit," Gandalf interrupted kindly. With a sigh, he stated, "Most will sail, but some shall remain. Legolas at this point is questionable. 'Twill not be until he returns that we shall know. His recent experiences alone would be enough to tilt the odds in favor of leaving for a more peaceful place and the destruction of his home shall not help, but he has always been stubborn and his heart truly belongs to Middle Earth and his friends. Those that choose to remain are likely to go to the other elven realms until such a time has come that they are deserted as well."

"Do they know?" Pippin asked hesitantly.

Gandalf nodded, "Thranduil is leading the elves to Rivendell in the morning. You shall go with them."

"What of you?" Pippin asked.

"I shall be providing the distraction I promised, allowing the rest of the Fellowship to escape," Gandalf replied. The wizard swept out of the room, leaving Pippin to his thoughts.

* * *

Gimli glanced around the corner, ducking back quickly when he saw the orcs coming. He had managed to escape his cell after tricking an orc into believing he was asleep, then springing suddenly to life. The orc didn't stand a chance against Gimli's fury. The dwarf was now attempting to free all of his friends before his escape was discovered. Unfortunately, their cells were a bit more guarded than Gimli's. At this thought, Gimli was vaguely insulted, but pushed the feeling away so he could focus on the task at hand. In one hand Gimli held a rock and in the other was a twisted bit of metal that could pass as a knife should he need it. A reckless plan came together in the dwarf's mind, and with only a moment's hesitation, he threw the rock down the hall.

The orcs who had previously been standing guard in front of the cells of Legolas and Aragorn glanced at each other before running off to investigate the source of the noise. Gimli darted out of his hiding place and frantically picked the lock on the door of Aragorn's cell. His anger grew as the appalling condition of his friend was revealed. The man was still unconscious and blood was forming puddles on the ground around him. For a moment, panic overtook the dwarf's senses. If Aragorn were in such a condition, it was presumable that Legolas and possibly Pippin would be in similar states, making it impossible for the injured dwarf to evacuate them safely. Pushing away his momentary lapse in attention, the dwarf hobbled over to Aragorn's side, gently shaking him awake.

"Wake up, laddie," Gimli whispered urgently. The man groaned before opening his eyes slowly. When he saw the dwarf, he immediately became more alert. Gimli was still watching him carefully when he asked, "Can you walk?"

Aragorn quickly assessed his various injuries, noting that his ribs were likely to cause the most pain and blood loss was already making him dizzy. As he tried to rise, he slumped forward and would have fallen had Gimli not been there to catch him. The dwarf was obviously concerned, but Aragorn was determined to leave. In a hoarse voice, he stated, "I can walk, though I may need a bit of help to stay upright."

The dwarf nodded his agreement and allowed Aragorn to keep a hand on his shoulder while they slowly staggered out of the cell. As Gimli was picking the lock on Legolas' cell, he asked Aragorn, "How bad off was the elf when you saw him last?"

"His condition has improved very much physically, but his heart despairs," Aragorn replied. To himself, he muttered, "As does mine."

Though the last comment was not meant to be heard by the dwarf, he heard it none the less. It caused his concern to grow, for it seemed that all his friends would have many mental scars as they left in addition to their physical ones. Gimli growled slightly as he thought of the wizard responsible for the breaking of his friends' spirits. Once they got out of this hellhole and were healed, he would have his revenge upon Saruman. The lock finally gave in, allowing Gimli to open the door.

Legolas looked up immediately, unable to completely block the fear in his eyes. More disturbing to Gimli was the lack of spark within the elf's eyes, showing just how much the elf was despairing. The usual glow that surrounded Legolas was also much diminished. With only a mild look of confusion he rose and walked stiffly over to Aragorn and Gimli. He asked softly, "Where are the orcs?"

The question sent a thrill of fear through the dwarf, followed quickly by a deep sense of confusion. Indeed, the orcs that chased the rock should have returned by now. Perhaps this had all been an elaborate scheme to further break their spirits, to allow them to get so close to escape only to be recaptured. Pushing those thoughts aside with slightly narrowed eyes, Gimli led the others to Pippin's cell.

Merry was huddled in the corner of his cell, his eyes reflecting deep sorrow and guilt. The pitiful sight of the hobbit nearly crushed the other three, for they had not thought of how difficult it must have been for the hobbit to accept the death of Pippin, his best friend and partner in crime. Legolas called out quietly, "We must go now, Merry. Come with us."

The hobbit stared ahead blankly before rising slowly, following without question. As they reached the end of the hallway, Legolas asked, "Where are Sam and Frodo?"

"I do not know," Gimli replied with concern, "I haven't seen or heard them since we arrived here."

* * *

In the middle of the forest, Frodo and Sam stood, looking around for any sign as to where they were. They had determined that they were in Mirkwood and that the cloud was unmistakably unnatural and they didn't want to be caught under it. Beyond that, however, they had no idea as to how to get back to the palace or even how to find a safe place to spend the night. They had managed to escape from Saruman when the wizard foolishly left the two together in a cell. After knocking out their tormentors they escaped to find help for their friends.

Voices coming from the left of the hobbits gave them a sudden hope. Sam collected the supplies they had managed to steal from Saruman and followed Frodo as he walked toward the voices. A large company of elves was traveling down what appeared to be the path to Mirkwood. King Thranduil himself led them. Toward the back, with a tall, fair-haired female elf was a shorter being. Frodo almost believed that the shorter one was Pippin, but knew that the young hobbit had been killed in the ambush. As they drew nearer, however, Pippin's voice was unmistakable.

Sam and Frodo exchanged delighted glances before rushing over to their friend that they had believed to be dead. At the sight of Sam and Frodo the entire company of elves halted and stared, some looking into the forest as if they were expecting to see the others approaching as well. After hugging his friends, Pippin asked, "Where are the others?"

"We came seeking help," Frodo replied solemnly, "for we managed to escape, but were unable to free the others. We can lead you to where we were taken."

King Thranduil replied, his voice full of sorrow, "We cannot rescue them. The citizens of Mirkwood must be evacuated before the storm begins. It shall destroy Mirkwood and all who remain. We must hope that they have escaped on their own with the help of Gandalf's distraction and are able to leave before the storm strikes. I must insist that you join our company and come with us to Rivendell."

With an air of despair the hobbits joined the elvish company, wondering what would become of their friends.

* * *

Gandalf was indeed providing quite a distraction. A short distance from the lair the wizard stood, destroying the structure piece by piece. He had somehow managed to block the orcs and their weapons from coming within ten feet of him. Thus, Saruman himself was forced to come out into the open for the first time since his defeat and face Gandalf. Saruman was a bit afraid, though he fought to keep his voice calm as he said, "Ah, Gandalf, what brings you here? Not an attempt to free my prisoners, I would hope."

"Of course not!" Gandalf exclaimed, much to the surprise of Saruman. A moment later, the wizard continued in a more serious voice, "They have done that well enough on their own."

Saruman spun around, searching frantically for any sign that his captives had managed to escape. Legolas, who had been able to hear Gandalf, managed to warn his friends to hide before Saruman saw them. After seeing nothing but orcs, Saruman laughed and faced Gandalf once again. "Fool! There is no one out there but my orcs. I hadn't thought I would be able to add you to my collection, but I see I was mistaken."

Saruman attacked, sending Gandalf flying backwards. Gandalf landed on his feet and proceeded to send Saruman flying back against the wall. The orcs were now becoming quite frustrated, for they knew that it was their duty to protect Saruman but they were unable to approach the battling wizards. After several minutes of dueling, Gandalf disappeared in a flash of blinding light. Saruman tightened his grip on his staff in frustration before turning and leading the orcs back to his lair. Moments later, an angry yell could be heard from inside. Saruman had discovered that his captives were all gone. Once again he had been defeated.

* * *

Once the wizards began their battle, Gimli had led his friends toward Mirkwood. They were held back by Aragorn, who was feeling the full impact of his injuries. The man leaned heavily upon Legolas who, despite his best efforts to help his friend stay upright, was in no condition to be holding up anyone's weight save his own. Merry was no help to anyone for despair had overwhelmed him. The loss of Pippin had been devastating, but the disappearance of Sam and Frodo had completely broken the hobbit. Indeed, though he was in the best condition physically, he was the least useful member of their straggling group.

After finding their way into Mirkwood, Legolas took the lead. Their pace continued to be quite slow, for Legolas was barely able to stagger forward at a snail's pace and Gimli now found himself stumbling under Aragorn's weight. Merry barely had the motivation to move forward at all and continued at a slow, mournful pace. Legolas was growing increasingly uneasy as the forest cried out in distress and the ominous cloud overhead moved toward Mirkwood's palace faster than the small assembly of friends.

Oddly colored rain fell several hours later when they had nearly reached the palace. Aragorn hissed in pain as the acidic rain touched his already injured flesh. Legolas could only stare blankly ahead at the sight of trees and buildings being destroyed by the rain. A burning sensation spread across his body, but he failed to comprehend the reason or even truly feel the pain over the emotional turmoil within him. Tears mingled with the rain, diluting the acid as it touched his face. Gimli pulled his friends under the overhang of someone's roof. As the shock began to wear off, with a voice full of anguish, Legolas asked, "What has befallen of my home? Where is everyone?"

"I'm sure they made it out, laddie," Gimli replied as soothingly as possible, though he too was horrified by what had befallen the home of his friend. Aragorn was muttering about needing to go check on Arwen. For indeed, it seemed quite possible now that Saruman's words were true. In the forest, Gimli saw a blurry figure approaching. He prepared himself to defend his friends, but it was unnecessary.

"Come with me. We need to go to Rivendell. The others are waiting for us there," the figure stated calmly.

Gimli's eyes widened as he recognized the voice. In surprise, he asked, "Is that you, Gandalf?"

In response the wizard stepped out of the shadows. He beckoned the friends to follow. Legolas glanced at his ruined home one last time, murmuring, "_Namarie_."

The End

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**AN: **Thank you for reading the story! And thank you to all of my reviewers! I'm going to try to write a sequel. It will be about what happens to the now homeless Mirkwood elves, the reunion of the Fellowship, the discovery of whether or not Saruman was lying, and what Saruman's fate will be. Please review:) 


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